There are three horse racing fixtures taking place on Thursday and Andrew Mount picks out his best bets for the day…
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Posted: 8am, Thursday, January 2nd
2.15 Ayr – JET LEGS (1pt win – 7/2 generally including bet365 and William Hill)
After JET LEGS won a 3m2f handicap hurdle at Kelso in March 2023, trainer Martin Todhunter described the gelding as a “laid-back character” and suggested that he’ll make a good staying chaser. The “laid-back” comment hinted that he’s hard to get fit at home and he certainly looked in need of his comeback run when a 27-length six of nine to subsequent Welsh Grand National winner Val Dancer at Carlisle on November 3rd. He weakened from three out to finish last of the six finishers, taking his seasonal debut figures to 6646 (0-4). The eight-year-old is very consistent when he’s had at least two runs within the previous three months – form figures of 53221112123 (4-11) – and last month’s 17-length fifth of 11 in a 4m handicap chase at Kelso sees him fall into this bracket for the first time this season.
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3.25 Ayr – BOTH BARRELS (1pt e/e – 13/2 William Hill, 888Sport, Unibet, three places, 11/2 Sky Bet, four places)
The market for this 3m handicap hurdle is head by Hazy Glen but he pulled hard when scoring over 2m3f at Haydock last time and ran over 2m on his penultimate start, suggesting that the step up in trip is not ideal. Of greater interest is BOTH BARRELS, who clocked a fast time for Class 4 level when landing a 2m6.5f handicap hurdle on soft ground at Kelso on his final start last term. Donal Whillans’ seven-year-old has tasted defeat on both previous seasonal debuts but ran with great credit on each occasion, staying on into a 9-1 three-length third in an Ayr bumper when ridden by a 7lb conditional jockey and becoming outpaced before keeping on into a 17-2 ten-length fourth over 2m4f in novice hurdle company at Carlisle. The trio who beat him that day are now rated 140, 130 and 130, suggesting that Both Barrels could be well handicapped off 113, having gone up only 4lb for his Carlisle victory. He remains open to plenty of improvement on only his eighth career start and is worth a punt on his belated return to action.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
2.15 Ayr – JET LEGS (1pt win – 7/2 generally including bet365 and William Hill)
3.25 Ayr – BOTH BARRELS (1pt e/e – 13/2 William Hill, 888Sport, Unibet, three places, 11/2 Sky Bet, four places)
Both Barrels
Andrew Mount’s tips for Thursday, 2nd January 2025.
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